Cornelius Fudge
- Chapter 36 (The Parting of the Ways) |marital=Married - Chapter 28 (The Madness of Mr Crouch) |alias= |title=*Minister - Chapter 14 (Cornelius Fudge) |signature= |hidep= |species=Human - Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley) |gender=Male |height=Short |hair=Grey |eyes= |skin=White |hidef= |family=*Mrs Fudge |hidem=Hide |animagus= |boggart= |wand= |patronus= |hidea= |job=Minister for Magic |house= |loyalty= }} Minister Cornelius Oswald - Chapter 8 (The Hearing) Fudge was a British pure-blood wizard and the Minister for Magic of Great Britain, although not a very competent one, from 1990 to 1996 - Chapter 1 (The Other Minister). Biography Minister for Magic 1990 In 1990''J. K. Rowling's Official Site'' - WOMBAT Test, Fudge became the Minister for Magic. He was by no means the best choice, and was held in low esteem by most of the wizarding world. In the early days of his leadership, he almost constantly wrote to Albus Dumbledore seeking advice. 1993 In April of 1993, following the reopening of the Chamber of Secrets and attacks on several Muggle-born students, Fudge was finally forced into action. As Hagrid had been accused of opening the Chamber when he was at school fifty years prior and had been expelled for it, in Fudge's mind the only sensible thing to do would be to temporarily exile Hagrid to Azkaban, the terrifying wizarding gaol at the middle of the sea, surrounded by the soul-sucking Dementors. He arrived at the cabin late at night and, after a brief verbal confrontation with Lucius Malfoy, who had come to fire Dumbledore, led Hagrid away. That summer, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban - Chapter 3 (The Knight Bus). Fudge alerted the Muggle Prime Minister to the threat, a move that was heavily criticised by the International Federation of Warlocks. Fudge then spent most of his spare time searching for Black and protecting Harry Potter, whom the Ministry believed Black had broken out of Azkaban to kill. Unfortunately for Fudge, Harry accidentally inflated his aunt, ran away from home and rode the Knight Bus across the country to London. Fudge met Harry there and, after briefly explaining that Harry would not be punished so long as he stayed within the confines of Diagon Alley, departed once more. 1995 Following the disappearance of Bartemius Crouch, Sr. in the grounds of Hogwarts, Fudge was called to investigate - Chapter 29 (The Dream). When Dumbledore voiced his opinion that the disappearance was related to that of Bertha Jorkins the previous August, Fudge was quick to deny it. He insisted that Crouch had simply wandered away and, when Dumbledore pointed out how quickly Crouch would have had to have wandered, presented an alternative theory that Madame Maxime, Headmistress of Beauxbatons and half-giantess, whose carriage was parked only a short distance from where Crouch disappeared, had attacked Crouch. He appeared greatly embarrassed when Harry denied both theories - Chapter 30 (The Pensieve). On 24 June, 1995, Fudge arrived back at Hogwarts to judge the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament - Chapter 31 (The Third Task). He sat at the staff table looking extremely stern, and did not talk much to the others. After the Task, Fudge was one of the first on the scene when Harry suddenly returned clutching Cedric Diggory's dead body - Chapter 35 (Veritaserum). He was anxious about how the crowd would react to the news that Cedric was dead, and tried to convince everyone, to little avail, that Diggory was merely ill and injured, and needed to go to the hospital wing. Physical appearance Fudge was a very odd-looking character. He had rumpled grey hair and wore a lime-green bowler hat, a distinctive trait of his. He was short and portly, and usually wore pin-striped suits with scarlet ties, pointed purple boots and a black cloak. Personality and traits Fudge was highly incompetent in his job, frequently requesting assistance from more able wizards while refusing to give up his career. He placed great value on his love of office, in the purity of blood and in his power, which he was unwilling to relinquish. Even if there was substantial, irrefutable evidence towards a theory, if it did not align exactly with Fudge's personal beliefs, then he would do his utmost to discredit it. Indeed, he threatened Albus Dumbledore when confronted with the fact that Lord Voldemort had returned, and despite hearing testimony from two witnesses and seeing Severus Snape's Dark Mark burn, he instead chose to make the claim that the Hogwarts faculty, in addition to Harry, were all attempting to disrupt his comfortable and ordered world. Appearances *''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' *''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' *''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' *''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' Notes and references Category:Males Category:Wizards Category:Pure-bloods